Benthos (mud) monitoring
Mud samples are taken at two sites in Roebuck Bay, which has the richest biodiversity of any mudflat in the world. These samples are full of marine invertebrates known as ‘benthos’ that are sorted in a laboratory at the Broome Bird Observatory then sent to scientists for identification. Long term monthly sampling enables monitoring of changes in invertebrate abundance. Ongoing studies have revealed that the total density of macrobenthic animals (1,287 individuals/m2) is high by global standards for a tropical mudflat and species richness is very high – estimated to be between 300-500 species (Draft ECD, Bennelongia 2009).
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